


Unwell

by Killer_Queen



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Natasha Is Amazing, Sick Clint Barton, Sick Loki (Marvel), Sick Steve Rogers, Tony is exhausted, gastro?, sick, throwing up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-02-29 23:52:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18788803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killer_Queen/pseuds/Killer_Queen
Summary: (This was originally just supposed to be fluff, but a little bit of drama and possibly some angst managed to wriggle in somehow. Still mostly fluff)Loki started feeling unwell at a party, and decided to call it a night. Poison? Internal bleeding? No. This time, there was nothing sinister. Loki was just sick. Just sick? When was the last time he’d been “just sick”? Definitely no poison...? (Don’t worry, guys, definitely no poison)Before long, the others were also under the weather. Loki was in for a long few days, full of vomit, buckets and....toothbrushes.*this is set post Avengers*





	Unwell

Tony still remembered the first time he set eyes on Loki. Or did he? When was the first time? His memory was escaping him now, five years on. He frowned. He didn’t remember the exact moment, but it had been bad. He remembered that it had been bad, horrible. Loki, the ultimate enemy, though he hadn’t admitted it at the time. Bad. Loki himself had been bad. A bad person, in a bad place, a badass. Maybe the reason that he couldn’t remember the exact moment was because he’d just had a few drinks. He’d counted. Three drinks, all sherry. His mind was slightly clouded. They’d all been at a conference. A SHIELD conference, a boring one, which was Fury’s fault. Fury could make anything boring. The sherry had been the only think remotely interesting as he stood around in his best suit, vaguely watching Natasha in her black evening gown, dodging the many men who tried to approach her. More of a party than a conference, but still boring. He’d watched as Clint slowly dozed off in a chair, his tie on the wrong way, leaving the officials he’d been talking to to themselves. He’d also watched as Loki stood in a corner, watching everyone as he always did, occasionally sipping his own glass of sherry. The only person who could possibly host a more boring party than Fury would be Loki, he was sure. Loki didn’t even talk....though he didn’t suppose many people would want to talk to him. Even after five years of hard redemption, Loki was still treated as an outsider by most. Perhaps keeping himself to himself was his way of brushing off the feeling of being shoved away, liked by very few around him. Even fewer now that Thor had returned to Asgard and Bruce had travelled miles away to do a two year medical course to get more qualifications. Loki sat down in another corner after a while, leaving the rest of his sherry abandoned on a table. A waiter picked it up and disposed of it after a few minutes, while Loki sat with his legs crossed on the corner seat. Natasha went over to him and sat with him for a few minutes, but Tony was too far away to hear what they were saying. Natasha walked off for a while, then went back to Loki again. Then she came over to Tony, already stuffing all her lose belongings into her handbag.  
“Tell Clint and Steve that I’m heading home now.” She said quietly.  
“Why?” Tony asked, putting down his third empty sherry glass.  
“Loki isn’t feeling great. I don’t want to send him back on his own.” She explained softly, gesturing vaguely and discreetly towards Loki, still sitting in the corner. Tony nodded.  
“I’ll go soon too. See you in about an hour?” He asked. Natasha nodded, then pointed at the sherry glass.  
“No more of that.” She muttered, before turning and walking away. Tony watched as she waited for Loki to get up, before the two of them disappeared out the door.

By the time Steve and Tony finally got home (leaving Clint to stay even later), it had been an hour and a half. Natasha was kneeling down on the kitchen floor, wiping it down with a cloth. She stood, washed the cloth out at the sink and turned to them.  
“What suddenly makes you want to clean up?” Tony asked, looking at the wet cloth hanging on the drying rack.  
“Loki threw up. All over the floor.” Natasha said simply. Steve shuddered and Tony flinched.  
“Bet that wasn’t pretty.” He said, screwing up his face in disgust.  
“It wasn’t.” Natasha assured him. She remembered Loki, sitting at the table and suddenly turning to his left and retching a gross mixture of everything onto the floor, saliva leaking from his mouth.   
“Has he got that gastro bug that’s been going around?” Steve asked. Natasha shrugged.  
“He might. Who knows?” She said. “He’s gone to clean himself up.” She added. The other two nodded. The three of them sat at the table for ten minutes before Loki appeared in the doorway, his hair wet.  
“Feeling a bit faint, princess?” Tony teased as he sat down. Loki pulled a face.  
“Much better now, my dear.” He mocked back. He looked tired, but otherwise okay. The door swung open again, and Clint came in.  
“Pyjama party?” He asked, joining them at the table.   
“Only one of us in pyjamas.” Tony said, gesturing to Loki, who faintly poked his tongue out in annoyance.  
“Good enough for me. Anybody up for another drink?” Clint asked, grinning as he pulled out a full bottle of sherry that he had almost definitely stolen. Steve and Natasha shook their heads. Tony wanted to accept...  
“Not for me.” He said as Natasha glared at him. He knew she was right.....he could get a little strange when he was drunk.  
“No thank-you.” Loki said.   
“Suit yourselves. More for me.” Clint said as he poured the sherry into a glass he had also probably stolen. He sipped it and smiled.  
“Last one, I promise.” He said as Natasha gave him a look. They sat in silence for three minutes.  
“What was the point of that party, anyway?” Clint asked as he swallowed the last of his drink in a large gulp.   
“The CONFERENCE was to “discuss and celebrate SHIELD’s combined success with the Avengers.” Natasha replied.  
“The success of what’s left of us, anyway.” Clint muttered, casting a look at the two empty seats that Thor and Bruce had once occupied.   
“Bruce is coming home next month, when his course ends, remember?” Tony said. They all nodded.  
“And when is Thor coming back?” Clint asked, turning to Loki, who shrugged weakly, though Natasha was sure she was the only one who noticed how much energy it seemed to take from him.  
“A few days, a few months. Maybe a few years.” Loki murmured, his eyes going out of focus a bit. Clint sighed.  
“Oh well then.” He said, pretending to be terribly sorrowed by the news, but just joking around. Everyone grinned happily, except for Loki, who merely smiled slightly.   
“You alright?” Clint asked, suddenly serious as he finally realised that Loki was a bit off.   
“I think I’ll go to bed.” Loki said, choosing not to answer the actual question. He stood up from the table, and Natasha noticed that he seemed to be leaning on it for support. He took three steps.  
“Gastro’s the devil.” Tony joked. Loki shrugged, took three more steps and doubled over. He threw up violently, eventually only ejecting bile, before collapsing onto the floor.   
“God.” Clint muttered as they all jumped to their feet. Loki tried to push himself up.  
“Sorry.” He said quietly and extremely weakly. Tony slipped a hand under his back.  
“Okay, princess, you’re sick. Let’s get you up.” He said, helping him sit up. Steve slipped his arms around him and slowly pulled him up. His legs shook as he tried to stand.   
“Bed is definitely the right place for you.” Tony said. He and Steve each took one of Loki’s arms and slowly helped the barely conscious man stumble out of the kitchen. Natasha cast a look from the three of them to the mess on the floor.  
“I’ll clean up.” Clint said. She smiled slightly and followed the others.

“Just lie back now....There you go, that’s it, princess.” Tony murmured as he and Steve carefully eased Loki’s head back onto his pillows. Loki tried to say something, but he only managed to mumble meaningless sounds. Tony caught the words “sorry” and “I am weak”.   
“Hey, hey, it’s not your fault. Everyone gets sick.” He said quietly, wondering if this was true for gods....or gods-but-not-gods, in Loki’s case. He looked at Loki’s pale face, sunken and covered with bile and spit dripping from his mouth. He hesitated for a moment, before turning to Steve.  
“Grab me a face washer.” He said. Steve vanished into the adjoining bathroom. Tony heard the sound of the taps running, before Steve returned with a soft fern green cloth, perfectly damp. Tony wiped Loki’s face with it.   
“Going to give him a kiss goodnight now?” Clint joked as he poked his head in from the doorway, several dirty cloths in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.   
“Don’t even think about it.” Loki whispered quietly, sending Tony a look that would have been daring and ferocious if not for the tiredness and pain in his eyes. Clint disappeared from the doorway and returned about a minute later, the cloths gone and the bucket emptied of its foul water. He watched as Loki shifted uncomfortably, seeming to retch a little.  
“Here. Catch.” He said, throwing the bucket to Natasha, who sat it down next to the bed where Loki could heave into it if necessary. Loki had closed his eyes.  
“Sweet dreams, princess. Feel better.” Tony said as he stood up off the bed. They turned off the light, left the room and closed the door.  
“What a great night.” Steve joked grimly as the door clicked shut. Tony had his phone out of his pocket.  
“What are you doing?” Natasha asked.  
“Calling Bruce. He should still be awake with all his course work. I should ask for some advice.” Tony replied, also knowing that he had nothing better to do with Pepper away for a few days visiting a cousin and his bed lonely. Talking to Bruce would be nice. The others left, and he leaned just outside Loki’s bedroom as Bruce finally picked up.  
“Tony, it’s two o’clock in the morning.” He muttered. Tony grinned, glad that Bruce couldn’t see him.  
“Don’t pretend you were asleep. You weren’t, we’re you?” He asked. He heard Bruce sigh.  
“No. I’ve been working on an essay about the female reproductive system. It’s not due until next week, though.” He said.  
“Sounds fun. Why don’t you leave it a bit later?”   
“Because that’s what all the other people in this course are doing. They’re all pretty much crazy twenty three year olds trying to prepare for medical school. They don’t understand the sort of work you have to put into being a doctor.”   
“But surely it’s fun to see their faces as you all enjoy hearty conversations about the female reproductive system?” Tony teased. He heard Bruce give a small laugh.  
“Let’s just sat that none of them have actually seen a birth before. Why’d you call, anyway?” He said.  
“Bruce, do you really think so little of me? Don’t you believe that I called you as a friend who misses you and wants to chat?” Tony asked.  
“No, I don’t believe that for a second.” Bruce said, laughing again, Tony joining in a little.  
“Okay, okay, you’re right. I’m calling because Loki’s thrown up twice in the last hour.” He said.  
“Gastro. It’s going around New York at the moment. It said in the newspaper.” Bruce said immediately.  
“That’s what I thought. I just thought I’d check....He’s in a bad way. I’m not even sure if he knows where he is. He seemed okay for a bit after the first time....then he just threw up everywhere out of nowhere and collapsed on the kitchen floor.”   
“That does sound bad. Maybe he’s got another bug. Could still be gastro. Pretty bad if he collapsed, though. That doesn’t really fit the symptoms. Just make sure he rests and drinks water.” Bruce recommended. Tony nodded, knowing that Bruce couldn’t see him.   
“Yes, Dr Banner, I hear you loud and clear. Goodnight.” He chuckled.  
“Night, Tony.” Bruce said. He spoke again just as Tony was hanging up.  
“And Tony, one more thing.” He said quickly.  
“Yes?”  
“Look after him, okay?”   
“Okay, Bruce. Night.”  
“Night.”  
Tony turned off his phone, thinking. Look after him. Of course he would. What else did Bruce think he was going to do? Of course he was going to look after him. Steve, Clint and Natasha as well. Because Loki would do the same if it was any of them.  
Loki, just minutes ago, had slurred the words “I am weak”. He was wrong.  
When would he realise that he was anything but weak?

Tony was about to push Loki’s door open the next morning when Natasha came up behind him.  
“He’s still asleep. I checked when I woke up.” She said. “when I woke up” would have been about an hour ago, but Tony didn’t open the door.   
“Did he seem okay?” He asked instead. Natasha shook her head.  
“He looked like he’d been tossing and turning all night. He threw up again, too. Missed the bucket a few times, by the looks of it.” She said grimly.   
“I’ll send a cleaning unit to wipe it up.” Tony said.  
“Don’t bother. The noise would wake him up. Besides, I’ve already cleaned it up.” Natasha said, shaking her head again. Of course she had.   
“Natasha, just because you’re the only woman doesn’t mean that you have to clean it all u-” Tony began.  
“Did I say that I minded? Friends do things for friends.” Natasha cut him off. Tony smiled.  
“Even wipe up puddles of vomit?” He asked.  
“Even that.” Natasha said, nodding. Tony smiled again.  
“We could all learn a thing or two from you, Natasha.” He said.  
“I’m just doing what a friend does for a friend who needs help. That’s what friends are for, isn’t it? Helping you out when you need it.”  
“Is that why you’re doing this? To teach Loki that he needs help?”  
“He knows he needs help. He just doesn’t know how to ask for it.”  
Tony was silent for a moment.  
“Loki’s not used to having friends. Not even after five years.” He finally said.  
Natasha didn’t reply. 

For a few moments after waking up, Loki was sure he’d been hit by a truck. First came the pounding headache, surprising him the moment he opened his eyes. Then came the aching throat, as though he was being poked inside by a million red hot knives. Lastly came the nausea....He held down the urge to throw up again. Not again, he told himself. Just be strong. He had to pretend he was okay. He had to pretend he wasn’t unwell. Yesterday had been a complete embarrassment. An utter, complete embarrassment. How could he have thrown up twice!? And all over the floor! Not to mention the other moments during the night. He would NEVER embarrass himself like that again. He heard his bedroom door open. Did anyone EVER knock?  
“Oh, you’re awake.” Tony said in surprise when he saw him sitting up. Loki nodded.   
“Are you feeling better?” Tony asked when he didn’t speak.  
“I’m fine.” He said. Or rather, he tried to say that, but failed when his throat burned. Only a strangled groan managed to escape his mouth.   
“Pardon?” Tony asked, leaning closer.  
“I’m fine.” He choked. Tony smiled slightly.  
“And here we have the princess of lies.” He announced to the invisible audience in the room.  
“I’m fine.” Loki repeated, his throat flaring again.  
“No, you’re not. Go back to sleep.”  
Loki didn’t move.  
“Sleep.” Tony repeated.   
“When you go.” Loki croaked. Tony gave him a look.  
“Promise?” He asked. Loki nodded. Tony gave him one more worried look, turned and left.  
The moment he was gone, Loki threw up violently into the bucket again. He collapsed back onto his pillows, no longer having the energy to stay awake.

Steve knocked three time on Loki’s door before entering.  
“Lunch.” He called softly. Loki didn’t respond. He was curled up on his bed, a tight ball of arms and legs. Steve first thought he was asleep, but then he moved. The ball uncurled a little.  
“Hungry?” Steve asked quietly. Loki raised his head a little, and shook it. This seemed to take most of his energy from him. Steve left the room.   
“He’s not hungry.” He told Tony as he sat down at the table.  
“Can’t blame him.” Tony said, looking down at his sandwich. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Tony’s phone ran. It was Bruce.  
“Hi Tony. I’m just checking up on Loki. Is he better?” Bruce asked.  
“Nah, he’s actually worse. Hasn’t moved from his bed all day.” Tony reported.  
“Has he thrown up again?” Bruce questioned.  
“Yeah. A few times.”  
“Hmmm....Has he eaten or drunk anything?”  
“No. We just asked him if he wanted lunch. I don’t think he feels like eating.”  
“Try and get him to, Tony. He needs to eat, especially when he’s sick. At the least, make sure he drinks water.”   
“Okay, Bruce. Any other advice?”  
“I’m not sure, Tony. Loki isn’t even human. Maybe try giving him some throat soothers or barley sugars if he has a sore throat. You could try giving him milk, to see if that settles his stomach a bit.”  
“Barley sugars and milk. Got it.”  
“And water. Lots of water, Tony.”  
“And lots of water.”  
“And make sure he stays clean. That’s extra important for someone who’s feeling sick. And see if you can get him moving, if possible. And try to-”  
“Woah, Bruce, slow down. There’s only so much info my brain can take in a few nanoseconds.” Tony said.  
“Tony, do you want me to come down and have a look at him?” Bruce asked.  
“Bruce, you’ve only got a month left of the course you’re doing. Don’t worry. We can handle things here.” Tony said.  
“Are you sure?”  
“I’m sure. We can look after Loki.”  
“And you have to-”  
“Bruce, we can look after him, okay?”  
“Okay, Tony. Bye.”  
“Bye.”  
Tony out down his phone.  
“Just Bruce, worrying as usual.” Tony said to the other three.   
“He wants you to give Loki barley sugars and milk? Natasha asked, who had been listening closely.  
“Yep. And he says to get him moving if we can. And to keep him clean. And to make sure he drinks about an ocean full of water. And to do a tap dance down the street.”  
“You made that last one up.” Clint grinned.  
“No I didn’t, dancer. Go on, get your tap shoes on.” Tony said.   
“I can run down the street and get some barely sugars. We have milk.” Natasha said, standing up.  
“I’ll do it, but I’m not tap dancing.” Clint said, looking at Tony as he vacated his own seat.   
“And grab some of those medicated throat soothers too.” Tony called as he left. Clint gave the thumbs up.

Clint finally tipped the contents of a plastic bag onto the table.  
“What’s all this?” Tony asked.  
“The shop was packed! I’m not going back for anything else!” Clint said.  
“What did you buy?” Steve asked.  
“Three packets of barley sugars- two for me and one for Loki, a few packets of throat soothers, some paracetamol tablets, some of that stuff you take for gastro, a few bars of chocolate because I was hungry, some bananas so Nat doesn’t go off at me about the chocolate, more milk in case we need it, some more wash cloths, four boxes of tissues and bunch of toothbrushes and some toothpaste because dental products were on sale.” Clint reported, seeming very happy about his purchases.  
“Did you seriously buy ten toothbrushes?” Tony asked, counting.  
“Hey, they were a dollar each!” Clint said. Tony didn’t really think that this was a price worth buying ten, but he didn’t follow it up.  
“Where’s Nat?” Clint asked, looking around.   
“Trying to get Loki eating.” Steve said. And probably failing.

Natasha had already given up on the idea of getting Loki to eat anything solid. She was now focusing on the difficult task of getting him to drink. He could barely sit up by himself, and whimpered a little doing it. Natasha handed him the glass of water slowly. He raised his shaking hands and lifted it to his mouth. He managed to drink half of it before his hands gave way and he dropped the glass, dropping water everywhere. He slumped back out of his sitting position and fell back onto his bed. He tried to push himself back up, shuddering and crying out as he did so.  
“Shh. Stay down. Stay down.” Natasha whispered. Loki stayed down.  
“I’ll come back later.” She murmured as she left, taking the glass and the uneaten sandwich with her. 

“Clint, give me hand getting him up.” Natasha said that evening. Clint slipped his arms around Loki and pulled him into a sitting position. Loki didn’t make a sound.   
“Try this.” Natasha said, putting a glass of milk into his hands this time. Loki raised it to his mouth, his hands steadier this time. He sipped it slowly. He didn’t drop the glass, and he didn’t throw up what he’d just drank. The two left him there with the glass and a plate of dry toast (which a Google search had proven to be good for those who threw up a lot). Half an hour later, Loki was asleep and the plate was empty. Natasha gave a silent sigh of relief. She looked at Clint beside her.  
“Ah...I don’t feel so good.” Clint said, and before Natasha knew what was happening, he’d run off to the nearest bathroom, where he threw up heavily.   
The fight had begun.

Bruce called Tony again an hour later.  
“How’d you go?” He asked.  
“Good. Loki’s eaten some toast and some milk. He threw up again, but only a little bit.” Tony said, trying to keep the exhaustion from his voice.  
“So he’s getting better?”  
“I think so, Bruce, but we have another problem.”  
“What?”  
“Well, you see, Clint’s throwing up now. And I mean now as in as we speak.”   
“Are you kidding me?”  
“Bruce, would I joke about running around with buckets and wash cloths?”  
“Whatever bug Loki has must be contagious. Just give me a moment to think.” Bruce said.  
“Okay.” Tony said, and he waited.  
“Well, you can’t just stay away from Loki or Clint, because my guess is that they’re going to need looking after for the next few days. I’d say try getting them to wear masks in case the bug is airborne, but that won’t really help if you’re coming in contact with the stuff they’ve thrown up. I think you’ll just have to wait it out and cross your fingers that it doesn’t get any worse, Tony.” Bruce finally said.  
“Cross my fingers. Right. Thanks, Bruce. How long until your final exams?”  
“About three weeks. Once I pass, I’ll be up to date and I’ll be able to get a job at a clinic closer to home. Maybe I’ll even start my own clinic one day.” Bruce said, his voice a little strange.  
“Bruce, is everything alright?” Tony asked.  
“Me? Yes, everything’s fine. Well, no, I suppose I’m just a little nervous about the exams. And I’m tired.”  
“Bruce, I’ve never heard a worse lie in my life. There’s no way you’re worried about these exams when you know everything already. Come on, tell me what’s going on.”  
“Okay...Don’t tell the others, okay?”  
“I promise. What is it?”  
“It’s just that....I nearly hulked out in the lecture today.”  
“What!?”  
“I was distracted. I kept trying to think of things to help Loki. The lecturer asked me a question and I hadn’t been listening. I knew the answer, obviously, but I just froze up. Everyone in the room was looking at me, Tony, and they all started laughing. Mocking me because I was double their age and supposed to be trained already and I couldn’t answer a simple question. That made me mad. I even started changing, Tony! It’s been almost a year since I’ve lost control! And suddenly everyone in the room was screaming....it was horrible. The lecturer had to sedate me before I went completely berserk.”  
“That’s horrible. Are you saying that all the lecturers carry around syringes of sedative just in case you lose control?”  
“Yes. Standard procedure for any class I’m in. There’s one in my dormitory too. They just don’t trust me, Tony. Just because Hulk’s a little rowdy.”  
“Bruce, I’m so sorry. I knew that they had procedures to keep you and others safe, but I didn’t realise they were going to carry around tranquilliser darts.”  
“It’s okay, Tony, really it is. And it’s not tranquilliser darts. Just syringes of drugs that can be injected into my bloodstream before I fully transform. Enough to calm me down enough to stop the transformation. It’s not like I’m not used to it. I know what it’s like not to be trusted.”  
“That doesn’t make it okay for them to-”  
“Take safety precautions? I signed the papers agreeing that extreme measures could be taken if I caused or began to cause an emergency situation. It’s just that I somehow didn’t expect them to be quite this careful. I should have known better.”   
“Bruce, it’s not your fault.”  
“I know it’s not my fault. But everyone looks at me and sees the bad things I’ve done, or that Hulk’s done, and ignores all the good things. I just get a bit sick of it.”  
“I know. I know that feeling.”  
“Tony?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Can I tell you something?”  
“Sure. What is it?”  
“I’m happy to be away. At least a little happy.”  
“Why?”  
“Because it keeps me away from Loki.”  
“Bruce, are those drugs still messing with your head or something? Do you seriously think that Loki’s going to hurt you after five years?”  
“No! It’s not that, Tony. It’s just that...I’m afraid that I’m hurting him.”  
“Bruce, what are you talking about?”  
“The scars, Tony. Don’t pretend you haven’t seen them. There’s a few on his arms and legs, some on his back too, and that one on the end of his nose. Those scars are from New York, when I- when Hulk bashed him up. I hurt him, Tony.”  
“No, you didn’t....Well, you did, but....things were different then. He was the enemy, Bruce. You were protecting what was yours.”  
“No, Tony, I wasn’t. I hadn’t been to New York for years. I’d just been wandering, helping where I could, trying to do some good in my life. Then Natasha dragged me back to stop Loki, and suddenly I had to let Hulk take over my body instead of trying to fight him. To be honest, back then, I wouldn’t have cared if New York was destroyed. I was in a bad place, Tony. I just stopped caring when I lost control. I just blocked out everything that Hulk did. But things changed at New York. What I did wasn’t just stopping Loki....I wanted to kill him, Tony! It wasn’t just Hulk...a little bit of me wanted him dead too! I just wanted something to vent it all out on, to spend Hulk’s built up energy on. And Loki was there. Now, every time somebody mentions the attack on New York, all I can see is Loki lying there with the wind knocked out of him.”  
Tony was silent for a moment.  
“Bruce, how long have you been keeping this bottled up?”  
“Five years. Ever since Loki came to live with us. I...I just don’t want make him uncomfortable. I don’t want anybody else to be scared of me. I have my scars...and I hate the people who gave them to me.”  
“You think Loki’s scared of you? Or that he hates you?”  
“Well....yes, I suppose I do, a little bit. He’s always so quiet when I’m around.”  
“Bruce, he’s quiet no matter who’s around! Let me tell you something.”  
“What?”  
“If Loki was scared of you, he would have left. If he hated you....well, just think about how he gets on the battle field....he probably would have murdered you by now if he hated you.”  
Bruce was silent. Tony heard something.  
“Tony....Steve......someone grab me some more cloths! They’ve both thrown up again!” Natasha shouted.  
“Nat doesn’t sound happy.” Bruce said.  
“I’ve kinda dumped her with the task of cleaning up for the last half an hour...I better go.”  
“Bye, Tony.”  
“Bye, Bruce.”  
“And Tony, thanks.”  
“Any time.”

To make it easier, the others dumped Loki and Clint on the couch (after the painfully slow task of getting them both on their feet and helping them hobble, stumble and drag themselves out of their bedrooms). Both looked adorably and terribly vulnerable wrapped up in blankets clutching glasses of milk. As well as the nausea, they both suffered from painfully sore throats and pounding headaches. The medication didn’t seem to do much...mainly because they both kept throwing it up. Ah, the throwing up....Many buckets were washed and dried every few hours. Tony felt that he was handling the situation very well indeed, and thought that Loki and Clint looked hilarious, sitting on the couch draped in purple and green blankets...  
Steve sat between Loki and Clint, wrapped in a blue blanket. Now Tony wasn’t so confident. The buckets were becoming a little too much for two people to handle...How much longer could they cope? He’d hoped that Loki would get better soon, but he was showing no signs of recovering yet. To make matters worse, he’d developed a cough from accidentally swallowing his milk (and in some cases his own bile) the wrong way, adding the sound of wheezing and spluttering to the mix of splatters of vomit hitting the bottom of buckets and moans. Natasha was coping surprisingly well. She didn’t complain. She just did what had to be done...including washing the buckets. She helped Steve get to the bathroom in a dignified way, waited for him to finish and then helped him back again. She got Loki back onto the couch after he fell off in a particularly violent fit of coughing and throwing up, unable to pull himself back up because of his simple but serious lack of energy. She even managed to get Clint’s teeth brushed, using one of their now large supply of toothbrushes. Tony didn’t have half her determination...Or half her patience. He’d never realised before how well she kept her temper under control. In fact, Natasha had always come across to him as quite hot headed. Not now. Not after she spent hours mopping up the floor, cooking toast and pouring glasses of milk. He saw her in a whole new way. And then there was the unfortunate splatter of Clint missing the bucket.

Pepper dragged her suitcase out of the taxi and opened the door to the tower, trying to keep it long enough to get her luggage through. It’d been a nice holiday, nice to spend time in the countryside instead of the city, nice to spend time with her cousin. Even nice to escape the constant action of her home. What hadn’t been nice had been the silence on Tony’s part. Two phone calls, both short and plain, with plenty of strange noise in the background. She hoped nothing bad was going on....Tony always seemed to attract unwanted attention when she wasn’t around....  
“Hello, Ms Potts!” A deep and cheerful voice behind her greeted. She jumped and turned around.  
“Thor! How long have you been back?”   
“Like you, I have only just returned. Where have you been?”  
“I’ve been visiting my cousin out of the city. Where have you been?”  
“A well chosen question, Ms Potts. I have been everywhere! The cosmos are limitless beyond imagination....But it is good to be back here. I have many stories to tell.”  
Pepper smiled.  
“Loki will be glad to see you.” She said. Thor smiled back to her.  
“Ah, Loki. One of only eight things I’ve missed while on my travels.”  
“What are the other seven things?”  
“You, of course, Ms Potts, Stark, Dr Banner, the good captain Rogers, Lady Romanoff and even the pestering Barton.”  
“What’s the last thing?”  
Thor grinned.  
“Pop tarts.”

Pepper stared at the carnage before her. Three buckets were floating in the large kitchen sink, and three more turned upside down to dry on the bench. A whole drying wrack displayed at least twelve wash cloths, dripping from being washed, as well as a bag of dirty ones in a corner. A loaf of bread sat on the table, a knife and a chopping board beside it. Three empty cartons of milk sat by the bin. She turned as she heard familiar footsteps.  
“Tony, what on Earth is going on here?” She asked.  
“Pepper! You’re back!” Tony said, embracing her. She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her away gently.  
“Don’t. I might be sick like the others.” He warned.  
“Sick like the others?...Tony, what’s going on?”  
Tony gave her a tired look.  
“I swear it was just one little case of gastro...” He muttered.  
“What?”  
“It’s better that I just show you.”

Pepper almost laughed at the three figures huddled on the couch. Almost. She didn’t laugh because all three men sitting there looked uncomfortable, sick and miserable. She also didn’t laugh because of the fourth figure slumped next to Loki, fast asleep.  
“Natasha’s been working herself to the bone, Pepper. You have no idea how amazing she is.” Tony whispered, gesturing to the dozing woman.  
“Yes, Tony, I do. I know exactly how amazing she is.” Pepper whispered back. They were silent for a moment.  
“Should we wake her up? Let her go to bed?” Pepper finally asked.  
“No! It took me three hours to settle them all enough to sleep. Natasha will probably scream bloody murder if I try to wake her up.” Tony said, alarmed at the very thought.  
“Tony, I can run down the shop and get some medicine.”  
“That’s the problem, Pepper. They’ve already had about twenty types of medicine. This is as good as it’s going to get until they get better.”  
“Tony, tell me exactly how this started.”  
“It’s a long story.”  
Pepper smiled.  
“Good. I’m in need of a nice long story to make up for your pathetic phone calls.”  
“Hey, you try talking on the phone while trying to stop Loki choking on toast and milk...”  
Thor watched them from the doorway and smiled.

“God.” Natasha muttered, looking at Loki, breathing heavily and bending over on himself. He coughed violently a few times before managing to pull his body back into its sitting position. He hadn’t made it over the edge of the couch in time. He was covered in vomit.  
“No, you stay down, I’ll handle it.” Tony muttered, pulling himself out of his sleepy haze, lying on an armchair with Pepper squished beside him, still fast asleep.  
“Both of you go back to sleep. I’ll tend to Loki.” Thor said, standing up. Had he even been asleep? He’d done nothing but stare at Loki’s sleeping form before Tony dozed off. Tony watched as he walked over to the couch and in one fluid motion swept Loki into his arms, bride style. He walked out of the room, and Tony was startled by how gentle he was being.  
Loki tried to keep himself awake, but it was hard even after throwing up. Whatever disgusting medicines Stark had given him were making him drowsy. His body swayed....he was being carried. He opened his eyes and forced his mind to focus on the face above him.  
“Thor.” He murmured, quiet and his throat hoarse.  
“Hush, Loki. Do not fret. I am here now.” Thor said gently....Since when had Thor ever spoken gently? Loki’s mind faded out again....  
When he came around again, there was water running over him and he was naked. He was beyond caring. He and Thor had been bathing together since they were children, as any other siblings did. A cloth met his face, warm and damp. He let the pleasure of it smoothing over his cheeks engulf the pain. The pressure from the cloth was gentle for Thor. As Loki half floated in the water, some of the churning in his stomach eased. He took deep breaths and let Thor wash him. These last few days had been strange, being looked after instead of doing the looking after....it was felt nice.

It took three washes to get the stench of vomit out of the many stained clothes and cloths, but eventually everything returned to vague normality. It felt...right. Thor was back by his side, and Banner had returned, and had lost that stupid stutter and wary glance he always had when talking to him (Loki could never figure out why he always acted so strange in his presence). He had also developed a deeper respect for Lady Romanoff....He’d come to realise that she worked twice as hard as any man and with three times the determination. Yes, everything was fine and normal, apart from the occasional barley sugar wrapper that he found in odd places from where Barton had been eating them away from the sharp eyes of Natasha. And the question of where all the toothbrushes had come from.....What had gone on while he was unwell?


End file.
